The chasm between managers' and consumers' views of brands: the experts' perspectives

Hostile environments are changing the nature of brands, yet there are no up-to-date studies which, by characterizing brands, enable managers to formulate more appropriate brand strategies. To shed light on this, indepth interviews were conducted with 20 leading-edge brand consultants. They saw a gap between their view of brands as complex entities linking manufacturers' activities with consumers' perceptions and managers' short-term internal objectives and lack of consumer orientation. Experts also believe that, for consumers, brands act as shorthand devices for information and trust, facilitating purchase decision.